Crude-oil burner.



Y y PATBNTBD JAN. 24, 1905. T. E. LEWIS, A. LRAY s M. B. wssoN.

ORUDB OIL BURNER.

- APPLICATION vFILED MAY 1s. 1902.

UNITED STATES 1 Patented january 24, 1905.

vPATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS E.` LEWIS, ALBERT J. RAY, AND MILEY B. WESSON, OF FORT l WORTH, TEXAS.

rcEuDE-on. BURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,567, dated January 24, 1-905.

I Application filed May 13, 1902. Serial No. 107,139.

To (1J/Z whom t may concern;

Be it known that we, THOMAS E. LEWIS, AL- BERT J. RAY, and MILEY B. WEssoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Fort Worth, in the county of Tarrant, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crude-Oil Burners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a crude-oil burner,

and particularly to a device adapted to introduce a column of air at the point of combustion.

The invention has for its object to provide a novel construction of burner in which the 'oil is heated and partially vaporized, so that in addition to the gas generated a film of oil falls from the loweredge of the oil-tray and is atomized by an air-draft passing across the point of discharge'from the oil-tray.

Another object of the invention is to introduce the air-draft in a circuitous path, so as to prevent a direct draft, which would extin-` guish the flame before the oil would become 'heated to a vaporizing temperature, and for tical section through the burner with a feed A attachment thereto; Fig. 2, a detail perspective of the hood or cover for thev oil-tray; Fig.

` 3, a similar view of the oil-tray; Fig. il, a

similar view of the base-plate; Fig. 5, a detail section Uillustrating the direction :of the air-draft; Fig. 6, a sectional perspective showing a modified application of the invention, and Fig. 7 is a detail vertical section of the sight-glass in the feed-pipe.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The letter A indicates a base-plate formed of any desired material and preferably pro-' vided with a vertical wall or collar A', while the lower portion of the plate forms'a receiving-tray A2, having its deepened inner portion thickened, as at A3, so as not to become so highly heated as the shallower thinner peripheral'portion Af. Above this base an oiltray B is located and provided with a downwardly-eXtending fiange B', which overhangs the wall A of the base-plate, so that an upward draft of air strikes the curved under surface B2 of the oil-tray and is thereby deflected downward, so as to prevent a direct outward draft, as will be hereinafter described. The air .in passing downward strikes the curved face A of the tray A2 at the base of the wall A', and thereby forms an eddy beneath the lower edge of the oil-tray, so that the flame may be maintained at this point under all conditions Without altering the airdraft. The oil-tray is provided with a cenvtral feed-pipe B3, having an enlarged opening Bt at its upper end and mountedat'its lower end in-any preferred construction of feedl device, one desirable form of which will be hereinafter described. Under many conditions of chimney or flue draft it is desirable to alter the relation of the base-plate and wall A to the oil-tray B, and this may be effected by any preferred means. For instance, the plate may be supported from the pipe B3 by means of a sleeve A, supported from the base-plate by spider-armsand provided with aset-screw A7 for retaining the plate at any desired adjustment.

For the purpose of retaining the vapor generated from the heated oil-tray a hood or cover C is provided `and may be supported from the oil-tray by means of lugs B5 extending from the lower ends of the flange B' thereof. This hood is provided with a depending wall C', resting upon the lugs B5, by which it is spaced from the oil-tray to provide a passage for the gas generated. The lugs firmly support the cover at a fixed distance from the tray, so as to preserve the equality of the width of the gaspassage, which under the iniiuence of variable heats would have a tendency to warp the walls and leave the passage irregular as to width. The lower edge of the hood is beveled outwardly, as shown at U2, so as to form less impinging surface in opposition to the passage of the air-draft outward, although the invention is not in any wise confined to this sharp beveled edge. A similar edge BG is provided upon the wall B of the oil-tray B. For thel purpose of removing the cover a recess and crossbar C3 are provided upon the upper face thereof and adapted to receive any desired construction of removable handle C", although this feature may be omitted, if convenient.

It will be observed that the lower edge of the hood extends beyond that of the oil-tray, so as to prevent a direct outward draft of the air across the point of discharge for the gas and secure a mixing of the air and gas before reaching the lower edge of the hood.

As illustrating one desirable form of feed device the pipe B3 from the oil-tray is shown as mounted at its lower end in a coupling D, communicating with a pipe D', leading from a tank or reservoir D2. The upper end of this pipe is provided with a cup D3, adapted to have secured therein the lower end of a sight-glass D4, the upper portion of which is connected to a stop-cock or valve D5, by means of an elastic cap D, so as to form an air-tight connection through which the feed of oil can be observed and which will prevent the escape of any oil should the burner-pipe become clogged and the oil continue to collect therein. The valve D5 is adapted to be adjusted so as to preclude an overfeed to the burner when turned on full, and the feed may be thereby varied to any desired extent. For the purpose of clearing the pipe B3 from the oil-tray a rod E is shown extending through said pipe and having its lower end passed through a packing-box D, connected to the coupling D, while at its upper end a iiattened fiange-head E is provided, of the diameter of the aperture of the pipe B3, so that when rotated within this pipe any obstruction therein will be at once removed.

In Fig. 6 a modified application of the invention is shown in which the burner is of elongated form adapted to be received in a fire-box and has a burning-face at only one side thereof. In this figure the letter F represents the body of a fire-box having grate-bars F' at the lower portion thereof. For the purpose of cutting off the draft from all other points at the rear of the base-plate a cover-plate F2 is laid upon the grate-bars and the burner rested thereon. Each of the parts of the burner in Fig. 6 is practically one-half of the burner shown in Fig. l, and the base-plate Gr is provided with ,the draft-wall G at the rear and the tray portion, having the thickened body Gf and thinner edge G3. Above this base-plate an oiltray I-I is disposed, with a depending wall Il and a feed-passage H2 communicating with a feed-pipe I-I3 extending to a suitable source of supply. The hood or cover I is spaced from this tray to form a gas-chamber, as hereinbefore described, by any desired means-for instance, lugs I2, carried by the iiange H of the tray and upon which the flange I of the hood rests--while the rear portion of the hood may be supported by a vertical wall I2, resting upon the plate F2. The action of the several parts is the same as that described in connection with the other figures.

In the operation of the invention it will be seen that the oil from the reservoir passes upward through the feed pipe or passage to the oil-tray, which pipe is located in the airpassage, so as always to be retained in a cool condition to prevent the baking and coking of the residue in the oil within this pipe, which will occur when the pipe becomes heated to any extent. The oil-tray is heated by the flame at its lower portion, so that the oil is partially vaporized and the gas formed in the chamber between the tray and hood passes downward and escapes at the lower portions thereof, where it is ignited. Certain portions of the oil do not readily vaporize under the heat here present, and they fall from the depending flange of the oil-tray in a lilm or layer through which the current of air is passed at the point of ignition. The vertical wall at one side of the base-plate forms an upward draft-passage and is the only draft used in connection with the burner, it being desirable to cut olf all other draft when located in a grate-box by means of a plate, as shown in Fig. 6. At the upper end of this air-passage the draft is deiected downward by the curved under face of the oil-tray and passes between the depending wall of this tray and the wall of the base-plate. At the base of the wall upon the plate the air strikes the curved bottom thereof and is deflected into an eddy, thus preventing` a direct outward blast, which will extinguish the flame when the stove is iirst lighted and will require supplemental means for heating the oil-tray toa sufficient extent to vaporize the oil thereon. This air-draft passes through the falling lilln of oil and residue, atomizing the same and carrying it into the flame at the point of ignition, which is at the lower outlet from the gas-chamber between the tray and cover. The solid residue or asphaltum falls into the tray formed by the base-plate, and the thicker inner portion of said tray does not become sufficiently highly heated to bake or coke this solid mattei', but does retain it in a semiiiuid condition, so that it flows outward to the thinner edge of the plate, upon which it collects in a Very thin layer by capillary lOO attraction. This thinner edge is in contact with the flame and becomes highly heated, so that the residue in the thin layer is quickly consumed and other material flows to the outer edge of the plate, thus continuing the consumption of the semisolid matter of the oil. The base-plate may be adjustedA relatively to the oil-tray for the purpose of varying the jrelation of the parts under different conditions of draft, and the feed-pipe to this draft may be cleared of any obstruction by means of a rod therein. which may be reciprocated and rotated within the pipe in order to clean out any solid matter therein. It will be notedgthat the lugs carried by the depending flange of the tray space the closed hood or cover at a fixed distance therefrom, thereby maintaining a gas-passage between the flanges of the tray and cover of a definite capacity and preventing the warping which would otherwise occur between parts heated to different degrees. 4The hood or cover also presents an inclosed chamber within which the oil is vaporized, and the gas therein is not subjected to contact with the air until it emerges at the pointof ignition, so that the gas is ejected by reason of its expansion caused by the heat of the tray. It will be noted that the location of the oil-tray above the air-inlet passage and the use of the eddy-wall Vupon the base-plate obviate all of the difficulties incident to a direct draft through a burner, which besides extinguishing the flame, if a small one, carries the flame outward away from the oil-tray, thus defeating the very important object of heating this tray by retaining the flame at the base thereof. It is important that there should be an ample supply of air; but it is essential that this air should not strike the flame in a direct draft.

It will be obvious that the form or configuration of the burner may be changed in numerous particulars, as well as the construction of the different detail features thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described our invention and set forth its merits, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. ln an oil-burner, a base-plate having a recessed tray provided with a concave face and a straight wall at one edge thereof, said face decreasing in thickness from its inner portion outward, and an oil-tray having a depending discharge-iiange above said concave face; substantially as specified.

2. In an oil-burner, a concave base-plate having its lowest portion thickened and its higher outer edge portion tapered thinner whereby the parts of the plate may become heated to-different degrees; substantially as specified.

3. In an oil-burner, a base-plate having a vertically-disposed wall and air-inlet at its inner face and a tray extending outwardly therefrom, an oil-tray disposed above said wall and having a depending flange spaced substantially parallel thereto, lugs extending downward from said depending flange, and a hood or cover supported upon said lugs and extendingi below said flange; substantiallyv as specifie 4. In an oil-burner, a base-plate having a vertically-disposed wall and air-inlet at its inner face and a curved tray extending outwardly therefrom, an oil-tray disposed above said wall and having a central enlarged opening and a feed-.pipe depending therefrom, a depending flange upon said tray extending substant-ially parallel with said wall and having a concave face above the wall, lugs extending from said depending fiange, a hood or cover supported upon said lugs and extending below said flange, and a supply-pipe communicating with said feed pipe beneath the burner;V substantially as specified.

' 5. In an oil-burner, a base-plate having a I vertically-disposed wall and air-inlet at its i'nner face and a curved tray extending outwardly therefrom, an oil-tray disposed above said wall and having a depending liange extending substantially parallel therewith to provide an air-passage between said wall and flange, lugs extending from said depending flange, a hood or cover supported upon said lugs, a depending feed-pipe from said oil-tray, a supply-pipe communicating therewith beneath the burner, and a sleeve supported from said base-plate and adjustable on said feedpipe to vary the vertical adjustment of the base-plate relative to the oil-tray; substantially as specified.

6. In an oil-burner, a base-plate having a vertically-disposed wall and air-inlet at its inner face and a curved tray extending outwardly therefrom, an oil-tray disposed above said wall and having a depending flange extending substantially parallel therewith to provide an air-passage between said wall and flange, lugs extending from said depending fiange, a hood or cover supported upon said lugs, a depending feed-pipe from said oil-tray.

a supply-pipe communicating therewith be- I neath the burner, a sleeve supported from said base-plate and adjustable on said feed-pipe to vary the vertical adjustment of the base-plate relative to the oil-tray, and a clearer-rod extending through said feed-pipe and projecting from the supply-pipe, and a packing around said rod; substantially as speci'ed.V

7. In an oil-burner, a burning device, a reservoir, a supply-pipe communicating between the same, a stop-cock from said reservoir, a sight-glass removably connected to said cock and supply-pipe, an elastic cap surrounding the discharge-pipe from said cock and the upper portion of said glass, and a cup upon the supply-pipe to receive the lower portion of said glass; substantially as specified.

8. In an oil-burner, a base-plate having a TOO IIO

raised inner wall and a curved face at the base thereoic adapted to produce an eddy in the air passing there-over, a service-pipe, an oil-tray above the Wall of said plate and having a depending feed connection supported from said pipe, a hood or cover spaced from said tray to form a gas-passage discharging downward toward the curved face of the plate and into the path of the air-draft, and means for adjustably mounting said base-plate upon the feed connection for movement toward and from the under face of said tray; substantially as specified.'

9. In an oil-burner, a concave annular baseplate having a central raised wall to form a draftpassage, a circular oil tray disposed above said wall and having a central opening and a depending fiange extending concentric to said Wall, a circular hood or cover spaced from pending from the periphery of said tray for spacing the hood therefrom, and means carried by said hood to receive a lifting device; substantially as specified.

1in testimony whereof we alx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS E. LEWIS.

ALBER" J. RAY.

MILEY B. WESSON.

Witnesses:

S. SEAToN, PAUL KELLER. 

